Title

What is the effect of the Image resolution on picture quality.

Broad Question

To determine how resolution affects quality in photographs.

Specific Question

Which megapixels has the best image definition in photographs.

Hypothesis

It is hypothesized that the 14.2 megapixel will be chosen as clearer by the middle school students.

Rationale: The reason why it was thought that the students would pick the 14.2 megapixel photograph is because the higher the megapixel the clearer the picture is when it’s large.On the internet it says the more megapixels the more detail there is in a picture. Also just because one camera says 14.2 doesn't mean it would be the same quality on another camera.

Graph of Hypothesis

Hypothesis Graph

Variables

Independent Variable:

Image resolution 14.2 8.0 3.5

Dependent Variable:

Picture quality rating (Rank)
(1-10)

Variables That Need To Be Controlled:

Same Paper used for printed images.
Same camera.
Took pictures in the same place.
All Pictures taken at school.

Vocabulary List That Needs Explanation

Megapixels- Little squares that complete the picture

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General Plan

Potential Problems And Solutions

• not enough trials - get more people to do my experiment in every class in the middle school
• Not having a camera with three different megapixels
• not having a tripod

Safety Or Environmental Concerns

• breaking camera
• glass shattering
• blinded by the flash

Experimental Design

Resources and Budget Table

Item	Number needed	Where I will get this	Cost
Camera	1	Logan L	Borrowed
Black Paper	2	Chula	Used
tripod	1	Yahna	Borrowed
Moon Canister	1	Yahna	Borrowed
Printer Paper	3	Chula	Used

Detailed Procedure

1.Gather The Materials: Camera (Nikon D3100), Printer, Subjects, Survey paper.

2.Make permission slips and hand them out to 30 people in the school.

3. Get black background.

4. Put (whatever i'm taking a picture of) in front of the background.

5. Put camera on setting of 3.5 megapixels.

6.Place camera 12in from (whatever i'm taking a picture of)

7.Take picture.

8. Put camera on setting of 8 megapixels.

9. Place camera 12in from(Whatever i'm taking a picture of)

10. Take picture.

11. Put camera on setting 14.2 megapixels.

12. Place camera 12in from (whatever i’m taking a picture of)

13.Take picture.

14. Print out the picture as 4-6’s

15. Mount each picture on a black background.

16. Label the images A(Small)B(Medium) and C(Large).

17. Set up 3 images on back table of science room.

18. Use script to ask each subject to pick clearest and worst image.

19. Record data on table.

20. Repeat for 30 subjects

Script

Look at pictures A B and C tell which pictures is the clearest and tell which picture is the worst

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Data Table

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Data Analysis

Graphs

Data Graph

Photos

Student rating picture

Rating picture

Results

The mean results for the photograph with 14.2 megapixels was 8.6, the mean results for the photograph with 8.5 megapixels was 6.8, the mean results for the photograph with for 3.5 megapixels was 4.4. The photograph determined to be the best was the one with the highest megapixels.

Conclusion

The experiment was designed to test to see how the image resolution affects image quality. The results show that the photograph determined to be the best quality was the one with the highest resolution as determined by megapixels. The mean results for the photograph with 14.2 megapixels was 8.6, the mean results for the photograph with 8.5 megapixels was 6.8, the mean results for the photograph with for 3.5 megapixels was 4.4.

Discussion

The experiment question was to determine the effect of image resolution on perceived quality. The experiment results clearly indicated that there is a direct relationship between image resolution and the quality of the photograph. The higher the resolution of the image, the higher rating of quality the photograph received. It was hypothesized that the image with the highest resolution would be chosen as the highest quality. The results of the experiment supported the hypothesis, the image with the highest resolution was chosen most often as the best photograph. The mean results for the photograph with 14.2 megapixels was 8.6, the mean results for the photograph with 8.5 megapixels was 6.8, the mean results for the photograph with for 3.5 megapixels was 4.4.
The resolution that an image is taken at greatly affects the quality of the resulting photograph. It was interesting to notice how many of the test subjects were quickly subjects were able to pick out the image with the highest resolution. Megapixels are tiny dots that make up a picture. The results happened because more megapixels make clearer image. Megapixels are like a puzzle the pieces fit together like a puzzle.
People chose the picture that was taken with the 14.2 resolution as best because it makes the clearest picture. Research says that a 14.2 resolution is clear because there are more megapixels improve the sharpness of the image. On the internet it shows different cameras and each camera has different resolutions they also show examples of pictures that are different resolutions.
One challenge during the experiment was getting the camera with three different megapixels. Two ways to avoid the challenge are to buy a camera or ask to use the camera ahead of time. Another challenge during the experiment was trying to get the picture the same for each setting. This was solved by using a tripod to make the camera still. The last challenge during the experiment was trying to figure out which picture showed higher picture resolution. This could be solved by taking a picture of something more detailed.
During this experiment a camera was used. The camera was called Nikon D3100. The three megapixel settings on this camera were 14.2, 8.0, 3.5. This was an easy camera to change the megapixels in settings.
This experiment would be important to photographers because they need different megapixels for different types of pictures. When photographers take pictures they want the image clear enough to sell for money.
Another experiment in the future could be using different camera brands but same megapixels to see the difference in quality with the brand.

Background Research

The D3100 Nikon Camera has 3.5,8.0 and 14.2 for the sizes of megapixels. The nikon camera also has full HD video. This camera was the first Nikon camera to have DSLR. Video only goes up to ten minutes long due to the 4GB. The Nikon camera has an EN-EL14 battery, and the battery charger is MH-24.

References

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Nikon---D3100-14.2-Megapixel-Digital-SLR-Camera---Black/1222817.p?id=1218237704411&skuId=1222817
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d3100.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikon_D3100

Abstract

The purpose of this experiment was to see the difference in image quality.It is hypothesized that the 14.2 megapixel will be chosen as clearer by the middle school students.In the experiment there were three versions of the same picture that were of different quality. Students were asked to rate the best and worst image. Most students chose 14.2 as the best and 3.5 as the worst. Yes the experiment did answer the question and it supported my hypothesis.